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Walk-through

How to Use This Calculator

4 steps

1

Pick a tab

Choose Cords Needed to size a season's supply, Measure a Stack to check volume you already have split, or Cost vs Other Heat to compare wood against propane and electric.

2

Enter your heating days and season length

On Cords Needed, enter how many days a week you burn wood, how many weeks the heating season runs, and whether wood is occasional, primary, or your sole heat source.

3

Or measure a stack you already have

On Measure a Stack, enter the stack's length and height in feet and the log length (depth) in inches. The calculator converts the footprint into full cords instantly.

4

Read the cords, cost, and face-cord flag

Each tab shows a headline number plus a plain-language interpretation. Watch for the face-cord reminder — a seller's 'cord' at a shorter log length is a fraction of a full cord, not the whole thing.

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Reference

Formula & Methodology

3 formulas

Full cord volume

1 full cord = 128 cu ft (a stack 4ft high x 4ft deep x 8ft long)

This is the legal, standardized measure of firewood in the US and Canada. Any other stack shape that holds 128 cu ft of tightly stacked wood is also one full cord.

Stack volume to cords

cords = (length_ft x height_ft x (depth_in / 12)) / 128

Length and height are measured in feet; depth (the log length) is measured in inches and converted to feet by dividing by 12 before multiplying. The result is full cords, not face cords.

Face cord fraction

face cord fraction = (log length_in / 12) / 4

A face cord is 4ft high by 8ft long by whatever length the logs are cut to, so it's always a fraction of a full cord's 4ft depth. The cost-compare tab's propane and electric figures use illustrative national-average prices and BTU/efficiency assumptions, not a single authoritative source.

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Glossary

Key Terms Explained

7 terms

Cord Shorthand for a full cord — the standard unit firewood is bought and sold by, equal to 128 cubic feet of stacked wood.

Full cord A stack measuring 4ft high by 4ft deep by 8ft long (128 cu ft). This is the legal definition used for firewood sales in most US states.

Face cord A stack 4ft high by 8ft long, but only as deep as one log length — often 12 to 24 inches. It's a fraction of a full cord, and that fraction depends entirely on the log length.

Rick A regional term that usually means the same thing as a face cord: a stack one log length deep. Always confirm the log length before buying, since a 'rick' has no fixed volume.

Seasoned wood Firewood that has been cut, split, and air-dried for 6 to 18+ months (depending on species) until its moisture content drops low enough to burn cleanly and efficiently.

Cubic foot (cu ft) The base unit of stacked volume used to define a cord. A full cord's 128 cu ft comes directly from multiplying its 4ft x 4ft x 8ft dimensions.

BTU per cord The heat energy a cord of wood releases when burned, in British thermal units. It varies by species — dense hardwoods like oak deliver far more heat per cord than softwoods like pine.

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Scenarios

Real-World Examples

3 worked examples

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Primary heat, typical season

5 days/week, 20-week season

Days heating with wood/week 5 Season length 20 weeks Usage intensity Primary heat

At 5 days a week for a 20-week season as your primary heat source, you'll need about 4.0 cords — squarely in the typical 3-5 cord range for a wood stove used as the main heat source.

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Checking a delivered stack

8ft x 4ft stack, 16-inch logs

Stack length 8 ft Stack height 4 ft Log length / depth 16 in

That stack holds 42.7 cu ft, or 0.33 full cords — exactly a face cord at this log length. If it was sold to you as 'a cord,' you actually received a third of a full cord.

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Comparing wood to other heat

$300/cord, primary heat, 20-week season

Price per cord $300 Cords needed 4.0 (from Cords Needed tab)

4.0 cords at $300 each costs about $1,200 for the season — roughly $500 less than the propane estimate (~$1,700) and $1,400 less than electric resistance heat (~$2,626) for the same useful heat.

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Deep Dive

A Cord of Wood Isn't What You Think It Is

3 chapters · 4 min read

Firewood is sold by the cord, but 'cord' gets used loosely — a face cord, a rick, and a truckload are not the same thing as a full cord, and the difference can be two to three times the wood you expect. This guide covers how many cords a typical heating season actually takes, how to measure a stack you already have, and why the log length on a 'face cord' changes how much wood you're really getting.

How the Firewood Cord Calculator works

The calculator has three modes. Cords Needed scales a rule-of-thumb burn rate (cords consumed per heating day) by how many days a week you burn and how long your season runs — occasional supplemental use lands around 1-2 cords, primary heat around 4, and sole heat 5-8 cords for a full 20-week season. Measure a Stack takes a stack's length and height in feet and its depth (log length) in inches, converts the depth to feet, multiplies the three dimensions for cubic feet, and divides by 128 to get full cords. Cost vs Other Heat reuses the cords-needed estimate, multiplies by your price per cord, and converts the same useful heat output into equivalent propane and electric-resistance costs using illustrative national-average prices and efficiencies.

Why a face cord isn't a full cord

A full cord is a fixed, legal measure: a stack 4ft high, 4ft deep, and 8ft long — 128 cubic feet, no matter how it's arranged. A face cord keeps the 4ft-by-8ft face but is only as deep as one log length, which sellers cut anywhere from 12 to 24+ inches. A face cord of 16-inch logs is a third of a full cord; a face cord of 24-inch logs is half. Because the label 'cord' doesn't specify which one you're getting, always ask for the log length before you buy, and use the Measure a Stack tab to check a delivery against what you paid for.

Limits and edge cases

The cords-needed estimate is a rule of thumb, not a heat-loss calculation — actual usage depends on your home's insulation, climate, and stove efficiency, so treat the result as a starting point and adjust after a season of real-world use. The cost comparison uses illustrative national-average fuel prices and equipment efficiencies, not your local rates; swap in your own propane and electric prices for a precise comparison. And because wood species varies widely in density, the same cord count can deliver noticeably different heat output — dense hardwoods like oak and hickory pack more BTU per cord than softwoods like pine.

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Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions

How many cords of firewood do I need for a season?+

It depends on how many days a week you burn and whether wood is your occasional, primary, or sole heat source. As a rule of thumb: occasional supplemental use runs 1-2 cords, primary heat around 4 cords, and sole heat 5-8 cords for a typical 20-week season. Enter your own days and season length for a tailored estimate.

What is a full cord?+

A full cord is the standard, legal measure of firewood: a stack 4ft high by 4ft deep by 8ft long, equal to 128 cubic feet of tightly stacked wood. Any stack shape holding 128 cu ft counts as one full cord.

What's the difference between a face cord and a full cord?+

A face cord keeps the 4ft-by-8ft face of a full cord but is only as deep as one log length, typically 12-24 inches instead of the full 4ft. That makes it a fraction of a full cord — often a third to a half — so always confirm the log length before buying 'a cord.'

How do I measure a stack of firewood?+

Measure the stack's length and height in feet and the log length (how deep the stack is) in inches. Multiply length x height x depth-in-feet for cubic feet, then divide by 128 for full cords. The Measure a Stack tab does this instantly.

What is a rick of firewood?+

A rick is a regional term that usually means the same thing as a face cord — a stack one log length deep. It has no fixed volume because it depends on log length, so ask for the exact dimensions rather than assuming a standard size.

What's the difference between seasoned and green wood?+

Seasoned wood has air-dried for 6 to 18+ months until its moisture content is low enough to burn cleanly and efficiently. Green (freshly cut) wood burns poorly, produces more smoke and creosote, and delivers less usable heat per cord.

Is firewood cheaper than propane or electric heat?+

Often, yes — the Cost vs Other Heat tab converts your cords-needed estimate into propane gallons and electric-resistance kWh using illustrative average prices and efficiencies, then compares total season cost. Wood is frequently the cheapest option per unit of useful heat, but your local fuel prices can change the answer.

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Firewood Cord Calculator

How much do you burn?

Cords Needed This Season

Cords needed by usage intensity

Measure your stack

Full Cords in Your Stack

Face cord vs. full cord

Wood cost

Wood Heat Cost This Season

Wood vs. propane vs. electric

Season cost by heat source

How to Use This Calculator

Pick a tab

Enter your heating days and season length

Or measure a stack you already have

Read the cords, cost, and face-cord flag

Formula & Methodology

Key Terms Explained

Real-World Examples

Primary heat, typical season

Checking a delivered stack

Comparing wood to other heat

A Cord of Wood Isn't What You Think It Is

How the Firewood Cord Calculator works

Why a face cord isn't a full cord

Limits and edge cases

Frequently Asked Questions

Get a branded PDF of your results

Firewood Cord Calculator

How much do you burn?

Cords Needed This Season

Cords needed by usage intensity

Measure your stack

Full Cords in Your Stack

Face cord vs. full cord

Wood cost

Wood Heat Cost This Season

Wood vs. propane vs. electric

Season cost by heat source

How to Use This Calculator

Pick a tab

Enter your heating days and season length

Or measure a stack you already have

Read the cords, cost, and face-cord flag

Formula & Methodology

Key Terms Explained

Real-World Examples

A Cord of Wood Isn't What You Think It Is

How the Firewood Cord Calculator works

Why a face cord isn't a full cord

Limits and edge cases

Frequently Asked Questions

Get a branded PDF of your results

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